The present invention relates to digital data processing. More particularly, the invention relates to microprocessor data exchange apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,472, issued Apr. 26, 1977, discloses a microprocessor data exchange apparatus which comprises a plurality of data exchange units having first multichannel inputs/outputs combined with external bidirectional data buses, a register unit having bidirectional inputs/outputs connected to internal bidirectional data buses attached to second multichannel inputs/outputs of data exchange units belonging to another plurality.
The known apparatus also comprises a control unit having multichannel outputs coupled to control inputs of the data exchange units and the register unit, having a multichannel input connected to a microinstruction bus, an input coupled to a triggering line, and an input/output connected to a clock line.
The known apparatus provides a slow transfer of both a data set of a given length and a single information byte, and cannot handle or analyze data during exchange.